This guide is meant to teach you how to propagate Sea Thrift (Armeria Maritima) and hopefully make it easier for you to sell them at your own nursery.
Hardiness Zone: 2 – 9
Soil Type: Well-drained, chalk, sand, clay, loam
Water: Below Average
Exposure: Full Sun
Sea Thrift (Armeria Maritima) is a perennial shrub hardy up to zone 2. It’s a low growing evergreen plant that naturally grows along coasts in small mounds.
Since its natural habitat is by the coast, sea thrift has evolved to be very resistant to salts and grows with little water.
Sea thrift leaves are long and linear-shaped with an entire margin (smooth). They grow in a basal arrangement from a fascicle structure.
Sea thrift flowers are in bloom from late spring to early summer.
It’s a great plant for rock gardens and flower bed edges, it can grow in fairly infertile soil like sand.
Wildlife Value
Attracts butterflies, bees and other pollinators.
Best Way to Propagate Sea Thrift
Division
Division is the easiest way to propagate sea thrift. In fact, you will probably need to divide them over the years to keep them alive.
Sea thrifts grow in clumps, and each clump can be separated to create more plants. Here’s how:
- Dig out your sea thrift.
- Bunch together a clump of stems.
- Separate the clump from the main plant.
Two things can happen:
- You get a clump with roots: Plant the clump back into a pot with soil, let it grow again.
- You get a clump with no roots and a heel: Dip in rooting hormone, then plant them into your sandy propagation beds.
Sea Thrifts have soft stems, but they are a slow-growing plant. With luck, your cuttings will root within 3-4 weeks. But it can take much longer, water thoroughly in the first two weeks, then water regularly.
The best time to divide sea thrift is when the plant is not actively blooming. Divide them early Spring or late Summer to early Fall.
One well-established plant can give you many clones, sometimes more than 10. Don’t divide again for another 3-4 years.
How to Prepare Sea Thrift for Sale
Once your cuttings have properly rooted, pot them up in a mix of sand and loam for best results.
The plant is low maintenance, it won’t need too much water but spraying it daily during summer won’t hurt. As long as your potting medium drains well. Keep them in a part of your nursery that gets plenty of sunlight.
No pruning to do with sea thrift, it will naturally grow into a nice bush shape.
That’s it, that’s all! Happy gardening!
Still trying to figure out how to start your plant nursery? Check out our plant nursery guide here.
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